Jr. Tales: Monkey Business

No more clowning around ever again. From now on, I will be a model student and son and stay out of trouble

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

A

ll eyes were glued to Yitzy as he performed a series of cartwheels across the length of the classroom. With monkey-like agility, he leapt onto Rebbi’s desk and flipped into a perfect handstand.

“Go, Yitzy, go!” his friends hooted, thrilled with the performance. Suddenly, without warning, the door flew open. Wearing a grim expression, Rebbi stood framed in the doorway and did not look even mildly entertained.

Yitzy couldn’t help it. Rebbi’s comment reminded him of a joke that he had to share. Thrusting his hand into the air, he caught Rebbi’s attention.

“Yes, Yitzy?”

“What do you call a monkey that succeeds at every sport?” Yitzy’s blue eyes twinkled as he announced the punchline. “A chimpion!”

Laughter filled the room, but Rebbi’s face grew dark.

“Yitzy, go to the office,” Rebbi ordered. “Your behavior is not appropriate.”

Yitzy’s face fell. He loved doing things to make people laugh. Mommy even said he had real talent. But real talent wouldn’t keep getting him into messes time after time, would it?

Later that evening, when his family finished supper, Yitzy felt that urge bubbling inside again, like a shaken soda bottle waiting to explode. Tatty leaned back in his chair with a contented sigh, while Yitzy peered around looking for action. His eyes lit on the fruit bowl and he smiled. Helping himself to three oranges, Yitzy stood up and began juggling. The fruits swirled faster and faster until they became an orange blur. Suddenly one orange decided not to behave. Breaking away from the others, it streaked through the air and — splat! — hit Mommy.

“Oof!” Mommy gasped, spilling the fruit soup she was holding all over Tatty’s pants.

“I’m sorry!” Mommy cried. At the same time Tatty yelled, “Yitzy, up to your room!”

His siblings’ laughter echoed in his ears as he made a beeline for the stairs. Maybe I should stop the tricks and jokes once and for all, he thought, pulling his door closed and curling up on his bed.

When Yitzy woke up the next morning, he was determined to make a fresh start. No more clowning around ever again. From now on, I will be a model student and son and stay out of trouble.(Excerpted from Mishpacha Jr., Issue 723)